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Sarcoma

Sarcoma

Rarely diagnosed in adults, a sarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops in the tissues that support and connect the body. It can occur in fat, muscle, nerves, tendons, joints, blood vessels, or lymphatic vessels. Sarcomas can develop in any part of the body: about 50 percent in the arms or legs, 40 percent in the trunk or abdomen, and 10 percent in the head/neck area. Only about one percent of all adult cancers are sarcoma, while it accounts for about 15 percent of childhood cancers.

In some cases, surgery alone can be effective, but more often, the combination of surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation is required to achieve maximum cure.

EVMS Surgical Oncologists perform limb-preserving surgery whenever possible, and work with Radiation Oncology to preserve not just the limb, but the function of the affected extremity as well.